5 Reasons Why Social Media Is Important

As the current social media intern for the Center of Global Public Relations, I am often posed with the question: "Why is social media important?". Thus, I have decided to put together a comprehensive list of '5 Reasons Why Social Media is Important'.

1) Social Media = Free Marketing: Posting content on popular social media outlets means potentially sharing your business with the 500+ million users of Facebook and/or the 190+ million users of Twitter --- in countries all over the world.

2) Social Media Is Captivating: According to a 2010 Nielsen scan, the average social-networking user around the world spent more than five and a half hours, monthly, on sites like Facebook and Twitter.

3) Social Media Appeals To Various Demographics: Every age group, gender, social class and race is represented on various social networking sites. A social media presence on websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Youtube is highly beneficial for your business.

4) Social Media Is Paperless: Observe Amazon's popular Kindle device (an electronic, portable reader capable of storing multiple books) or the surge in E-Zines; everything is becoming paperless.

5) Use Social Media To Gather Feedback: Though sharing content is a great use for social media, another great use is gathering feedback. Feedback helps any business or organization monitor their brand.

Though I've listed many positive aspects, can you think of other reasons why social media is important?